McMinnville in final round for 'America's Best Main Street'

(News-Register staff) It was a close competition, but by 8:59 Tuesday night, McMinnville had won over Siloam Springs, Arkansas, to make it into the final round of Parade magazine's "America's Best Main Street" competition.

It now is matched against Collierville, Tennessee, for the final round with voting open until 8:59 p.m. tonight, July 2. The winner will be featured in an article in Parade later this summer.

The website describes McMinnville, population 32,545, as follows: "Many say this picturesque downtown looks like a movie set. Locals call the main drag ”the living room of McMinnville,” while the tree-lined street has comfort, charm, eclectic boutiques, award-winning restaurants, wine tasting stores, upstairs apartments, artwork, and a successful farmers’ market. Annual festivals such as the Turkey Rama and Alien Daze offer family fun."

Collierville, population 46,462, is described "This quaint downtown area has an old-fashioned quality to it, with plenty of shopping, dining, and events like Easter egg hunts and parades. There’s also a park decorated with gazebos and old-fashioned street lights."

Voting in the bracket-style competition has been on a day-by-day basis since the print publication of the magazine on Sunday. McMinnville has won over Placerville, California; Georgetown, Texas; and Siloam Springs, Arkansas to make it into the finals.